ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – “As we all know, we are absolutely facing a domestic immigration crisis here in the United States,” said Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury.

Stansbury says she recently co-authored a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security about the state of several immigration detention centers in the country.

On the list, is the Torrance County Detention Center in Estancia.

“The primary contract that that private prison operates under is an ICE contract to provide bedding to asylum seekers that are picked up at the El Paso border crossing,” said Stansbury.

She said the facility has a documented history of plumbing issues, understaffing, and abuse of occupants.

She points to a Brazilian migrant who was housed there last year and ended up committing suicide, after allegedly not getting proper mental health help.

“This is an absolutely inappropriate use of public dollars. That particular facility costs the taxpayers $2 million a month to provide bedding for individuals seeking asylum,” Stansbury said.

Now she’s calling for the facility, and eight others across the country, to be shut down. She says migrants and asylum seekers need more help and immigration offices need more resources.

“We’re calling for that private contract with ICE to be shut down, and for a more humane and just and fair process to be put into place. So that asylees’ cases can be processed in a timely and appropriate manner,” said Stansbury.